Maternity skirt



May 20, 1947.

K. H. CALVIN v 2,420,769

MATERNITY SKIRT Filed March 21, 1945 l O k x l /1 l l -18 l l 22 fo l// i V 3:12 l if z l I l l 6216 l I I l l l l J :inventor: /5475 Claw/y,

Gttornegs. v

Patented May 20, 1947 NUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to an improved maternity skirt, and has for one of its principal objects the provision of a garment of the class described, which will be neat and attractive while at the same time particularly useful for wearing by women in various stages of pregnancy.

One of the important objects of this invention is to provide a maternity garment which is so constructed that it may be widened or extended at the waist without forming a noticeable gap and which, even when widened, will always present a uniform and neat appearance.

'Another and still further important object of the invention is the provision of a garment which can be worn by pregnant women with a maximum of comfort and with a minimum of detraction from appearances, and which furthermore will always be securely held in position.

Other and further important objects of the invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the accompanying drawings and following specification.

The invention, in a preferred form, is shown in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a rear View of the improved mater.A nity skirt of this invention, showing the interior details and various attaching elementsl As shown in the drawings:

The reference numeral I indicates generally the main portion of the improved maternity skirt of this invention, the same having a belt I2 which is preferably secured to the body Il) by means of stitches. It will 'be noted that the top edge of the body portion lll is gathered at the line of attachment ld of the belt, whereby a shirred eifect is achieved, resulting in a desired fullness at the waistline.

The skirt portion of the garment is preferably stitched together by means of a line of stitching l@ which extends approximately two-thirds of the distance of the front of the garment, at which point the garment is left divided, this point being indicated at I8.

Following the line of stitching l upwardly beyond the point i8 is a further line of stitching 2B, which is for the purpose of fastening a panel element 22 to this particular part of the body portion lil.

This panel element is of a size as best shown in the ligure, and is provided with a reinforced top edge 2d, to which top edge is fastened a number of attaching elements 26, which may be snaps or hook and eye portions or some other convenient fastening means.

Mounted on the inside of the belt portion of the garment in a juxtaposed relationship to the fastening elements 26 is a series of co-operating fasteners 28, any one or all of which may be joined to the fastening elements 25 at the will of the wearer.

The belt portion t2 terminates in ties or sash elements 3Q, which are of a suliicient length so as to enable the wearer to tie the same around the waist in a sort of bow effect, while at the same time leaving a downward extension, thereby concealing the top of the panel portion 22 and any snaps or other fastening elements which may happen to be exposed at the time.

The panel 22 inside the opened front seam eX- tends to the top of the hem, and the fact that it is yanchored at only one side, namely along the line 2li, provides a Varying degree of expansion of the opening at the front, and the number of snap or other fastening elements permit proper juncture of the adjacent parts.

One of the advantages of this construction is that the garment may be widened in girth at the will of the wearer, land that even at its widest, the opening is not unduly apparent, owing to the fact that the panel 22 is of the same material as the body IB of the skirt, and this panel is also made quite full, as indicated bythe shirring at the top.

The anchoring at one side along the line 2li and the extension and subsequent fastening to the hem or belt assures that the panel will hang properly.

The tie portions 30 are intended to cross, thereby concealing the top of the panel and any exposed snap fasteners or the like.

The panel portion 22 could be stopped short of the hem and still function reasonably well.

I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details of construction varied throughout a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I, therefore, do not propose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than as necessitated by the prior art.

I claim:

A maternity skirt comprising a body portion,`

a belt portion, the body portion being opened at the top with the opening extending downwardly for approximately two-thirds of the height of the body portion, and a panel behind the opening, said panel being of the same material as the body portion and fastened at one side of the opening, the fastening comprising a line of inside of the juxtaposed portion of the belt, said co-operating fastening means providing for Various degrees of opening along the belt line and comprising a, series of related fastening elements, and a pair of ties forming extensions of the belt.

KATE HOLLIDAY CALVIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date McGraw Feb. 20, 1900 Shapiro Feb. 20, 1912 McMahan Oct. 31, 1922 

